Jordan seeks to trade sun for energy technology  

AMMAN — Jordan has the potential to trade its abundance of sun for cutting edge European solar energy technology, according to a senior official.

Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, Khalid Shraideh, told reporters at a press conference late last week that the problem of storing solar power has now been solved by modern technological developments, paving the way for an expansion in the use of this renewable energy source.

The topic will be high on the agenda of a series of meetings organised by the council November 27-28, when senior officials and experts will gather for the 12th Scientific Week to discuss "Energy, Water and Human Environment."

Solar power, said Shraideh, offers a sustainable energy source for the future, particularly in Jordan with its dry and hot climate, while Europe can share its technology in the field with regional countries.

Such cooperation falls under the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) initiative.

Founded in 2003, the initiative works to develop a practical concept for energy, water and climate security in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, bringing together a network of scientists, politicians and experts in the field of renewable forms of energy and their development.

TREC members are in regular contact with national governments and with private investors to espouse the benefits of the cooperative use of solar and wind energy and promote projects in this field, according to the initiative's website.

Shraideh cited the example of the Ayla Oasis project in Aqaba (see box) as a landmark initiative in developing renewable and clean energy sources.

The project seeks to utilise solar energy to power the entire 430 hectare resort, including the desalination of sea water.

The official predicted that within five years, renewable energy, particularly solar, will account for 10 per cent of the country's total energy consumption.

He acknowledged that interest in energy research had suffered as a result of cheap and subsidised oil imports, but that now there was an "urgent need to address this issue."

Shraideh also said that Jordan needs to start thinking "outside the box" in order to compete in the fast changing global economy, adding that this means investment in scientific research, which currently stands at JD13 million annually, 70 per cent of which comes from donors.

In addition to solar energy, participants in the scientific week, which will be inaugurated by HRH Prince Hassan, will also discuss means of rationing energy and water consumption.

Jordan is one of world's most 10 water deficient countries. The annual water deficit stands at around 570 million cubic metres.

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation's Water Strategy document says, "Water and energy are twins; sweet water is generated from salty waters with energy inputs, and energy is generated from water falls. Jordan is almost void of indigenous energy resources, is also below the water poverty line, and is managing a fragile environment."

In a related development, the Ministry of Energy on Monday completed the draft of a bill aimed to increase the contribution of all forms of alternative sources of energy to meeting the country's energy needs. The draft law, said a statement by the ministry carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, is designed to encourage foreign investment in this sector and protect the environment.

AYLA Oasis solar energy project
By Mahmoud Al Abed

AMMAN — The Aqaba-based Ayla Oasis project aims to break new ground by using solar energy to desalinate seawater and generate energy and water for the resort's cooling systems.

CEO of Ayla Oasis Development Co. Sahl Dudin told The Jordan Times yesterday that studies are currently underway to determine the feasibility of the projects.

Initial studies have so far concluded that solar energy has the potential to provide the 430 hectare site with 10,000 cubic metres of desalinated sea water each day.

In the process, nine megawatts of power will be generated while a solar plant will produce water for the cooling systems at a capacity of 40 megawatts. In case the volume of energy generated is not enough, the project will be linked to the national electricity grid.

The project is being coordinated with the German Space Agency and the National Centre for Energy Research, in addition to a group of international experts, Dudin said.

The Ayla Oasis project includes a variety of up-market hotels, residential communities, a golf course and a town centre that encompasses a marina, retail units, cafes, entertainment and recreational facilities.